Soul Screamers, Volume 1

“’Course.” She sounded a little more alert, and springs squealed as she sat up in bed. “What happened to your car?”


“My dad took my keys and my phone for a week.”

“Ouch. I’ll be there at seven-thirty.” Which meant seven-forty-five, in Emma-land. We’d be late to school, but that was better than riding the bus with the freshmen.

“Thanks. You’re awesome.”

“I know,” she slurred, already half asleep again. “Bye.” The phone clicked in my ear and Emma was gone. I spared a moment to hope she remembered us in the morning. Then I sank onto my bed, suddenly very sleepy, now that the immediate problem was resolved.

“Tell Nash to be here at seven-thirty if he wants a ride.” I’d driven him to school most mornings since we started going out. I glanced at the textbook on my desk, briefly considering my homework. But I was too tired to mess with that. I’d do it at lunch. “So what’s the plan for tomorrow?”

“We go downtown and find the disposal facility, then start asking questions until we hear what we need to know,” Tod said, slouching in my chair again.

“Simple. I like it.” I sat on my pillow and slid my legs beneath my covers. “When?”

“After school?”

“Nope. My dad’ll call, and if I’m not here to answer, he’ll…I don’t know. Call the cops or something.”

Tod scowled, an odd look on his cherubic features. “You’re not looking at the big picture, Kaylee. Addy’s soul is at stake. I’ve traded two hospital shifts in a row and will probably have to do it again tomorrow. The least you can do is drop off your dad’s radar for a couple of hours after school.”

“Okay, first of all, we’re not out of time just yet. Tomorrow’s Wednesday, and Addy’s not supposed to die until Thursday. And we can’t do this until I learn how to turn myself into a Netherworld ferry.” Which meant I’d have to convince my father to let me go for my how-to-be-a—bean-sidhe lesson after school, in spite of the grounding.

Then I’d have to talk Harmony into teaching me what I needed to know, without telling her why I needed to know it.

“Besides, we need a car. You can blink into Dallas whenever you want, but Nash and I can’t. And I’m not taking the bus in the middle of the night.”

“Middle of the night?” He leaned forward in my chair, brows dipped low in concern. “Isn’t that cutting it kind of close?”

“We don’t really have any choice, Tod.” I scooted down on the bed until the covers gathered at my waist. “The only time my dad won’t check up on me is when he’s asleep, which means we can’t leave until tomorrow night. That gives you almost a day to explain everything to Addy and Regan, and to find us a car.” Because his mom worked the night shift at the hospital and would need hers. “Do not steal one. The last thing we need is to get arrested on the way to the Netherworld.”

I could already see the headline: Mentally Fragile Teen Arrested in Stolen Car; Says She Was Looking for a Demon.

Sophie wouldn’t have to work hard to convince everyone I was nuts after that.

“That’s not enough time, Kaylee.” Tod looked as grim as I’d ever seen him.

“It’ll have to be.” I wasn’t sure how best to comfort a reaper. “By Thursday morning, Addy will be in full possession of her soul.”

It wasn’t much of a promise, but since I couldn’t guarantee her life, her soul was all I could offer him.

“Now, could you please put my phone back where you found it? And turn the light off on your way out.” With that, I lay back and pulled the covers over my shoulder. I needed sleep.

Tomorrow promised to be the weirdest Wednesday in history.





Chapter 13





“I really should just leave you here. You deserve to ride the bus, for keeping so many secrets.” Emma slammed her locker closed as the last bell rang, but her bright brown eyes gave her away. She wasn’t really mad. She was fishing for hints about the super-secret bean sidhe mission she imagined we were on.

I settled my backpack higher on my shoulder and tugged my snug tee down over the waistband of my jeans. “Trust me, you’re not missing anything.” If she knew the truth, her curiosity would no doubt give way to terror. Which was why I couldn’t tell her.

But Emma would give us another ride, anyway, to make up for making us all nearly half an hour late to first period. I should have known she wouldn’t remember a middle-of-the-night, sleep-foggy promise. She’d actually made it all the way to the school parking lot five minutes ahead of the tardy bell before remembering me and Nash. I would have texted her, but my dad left for work with my phone, and I didn’t have her number memorized. Nor did Nash have it programmed.